South Jordan and Sandy just can't seem to get along.
In recent months, relations between the two cities have become so divisive they can't even agree about garbage - or borders, or public safety or development that could enhance the entire south valley community.Top administrators in the neighboring cities speak amiably of each other. They know they should get along and that it's in their best interests to cooperate. But a history of animosity clouds today's attempts at resolution.
"They hate each other," an official from another Salt Lake suburb said.
The situation has deteriorated to the point where the two regularly snub each other's suggestions. They are headed for court battles on two separate issues.
"The relationship is at the worst point it's ever been," South Jordan City Administrator Dave Millheim said. "It's unfortunate, because we need each other."
Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan and Chief Administrative Officer Byron Jorgenson acknowledged, reluctantly, that the current rift with South Jordan rivals past feuds Sandy has had with Midvale and Draper.
"You almost hate to say anything because you might make it worse," Jorgenson said. "We used to have (similar problems) with Draper and we worked it out."
Dolan said he wants to arrange a meeting between the two city councils so any differences can be discussed and, hopefully, resolved.
In recent months, the neighboring municipalities have publicly opposed one another on the following issues:
- South Jordan's recent decision to block 300 West at about 10200 South to prevent further accidents at a dangerous railroad crossing. The blockade eliminates a route to dozens of Sandy businesses and homes, and Sandy says it hampers emergency response to the area.
- Salt Lake County's proposal to build a garbage transfer station west of I-15 between 9400 and 9800 South in Sandy. South Jordan says 200 to 300 garbage trucks in the area each day would wear out a new road and be an eyesore for a new $25 million office, hotel and movie complex near the Towers at Southtowne. Sandy officials say they have similar, and other, concerns and will scrutinize the proposal as soon as the county submits it.
- Expansion of the Trans Jordan Landfill. The landfill's board, which includes Sandy representatives, bought property in South Jordan. But South Jordan put a stop to the expansion, asking that environmental and ownership questions be answered. The board has sued to disconnect the land from South Jordan.
- A land swap. After more than a decade of deliberation, Sandy and South Jordan agreed to trade chunks of land to even out their individual borders. The land to be annexed into South Jordan is a valuable piece of commercial property. But Sandy won't finalize the agreement until the landfill issue is resolved, saying both matters involve the same legal questions.
With lawsuits pending, both cities' administrators recognize the problem.
"Byron and I keep saying, `Hey, we've got to get along,' " Millheim said.
The cities' attorneys, Sandy's Walter Miller and South Jordan's Mike Mazuran, discussed the crisis over lunch recently.
"I think we resolved that there weren't any hard feelings between us (individually)," Miller said.
However, deep resentment, born in early land claims and boundary identifications, still exists in tenured officials on both sides, said Millheim. As a result, sensitive issues don't get resolved and impasses are commonplace.
This week, the Trans Jordan Landfill board ended negotiations and went back to court to disconnect the property the landfill desperately needs to expand. Murray, West Jordan, Midvale and Sandy own and operate the landfill and representatives from the four cities sit on its board. Semi-retired Sandy public works staffer Almo Nelson is its chairman.
After months of negotiating, Millheim said the city will "aggressively fight any disconnection."
The city has negotiated in good faith, he said, and had something new dumped on it at every turn. For example, at one point the board had agreed to let South Jordan buy into ownership for $2 million. The next week, the price went up by $1 million, Millheim said.
Dolan said the landfill board probably erred by keeping South Jordan "out of the loop" for too long with regard to its expansion plans.
"I don't disagree with some of the complaints South Jordan has," Dolan said. "We're always going to be neighbors. I don't want to build a fence. I want to tear down any fences we have between us."
A group of Sandy business owners will go to court later this month to ask a 3rd District judge to force South Jordan to tear down the blockade at 300 West. Miller said Sandy is ready to join in on the lawsuit if the business owners' attorneys want the city's help.
Despite that potential to further escalate the battle, Miller said he believes Sandy officials have been "quite mature" in their dealings with South Jordan.
"We've had quite a few developers come in to us saying, `Will you annex us? We want to get out of South Jordan,' and we've told them to work it out with South Jordan," Miller said. "We don't want to be in those kinds of disputes."
One Sandy official, who asked not to be identified, said the city views South Jordan as something of a jealous Johnny-come-lately. While Sandy was busy inviting commercial growth, he said, South Jordan was slow to realize the necessity of a commercial tax base and is now grasping for whatever it can get as developable land disappears.
Many cities who share borders may skirmish now and then, but Millheim believes the Sandy-South Jordan conflict is worse than average.
"It's based in old, old feelings that are, frankly, dumb," he said.